Removing shingles from roofs is a notoriously difficult task. Generally, laborers use shovels and other simple tools to manually pry shingles away from a roof. After removing the old shingles, the laborers set or pull any associated nails in order to provide a relatively flat surface for applying new shingles. Such procedures can be tedious, time consuming, labor intensive, and hazardous. In particular, certain roofs occupy large areas, and manually removing shingles from such roofs can consume large amounts of valuable time and/or requires large numbers of laborers to complete quickly. However, employing large numbers of laborers can be prohibitively expensive due to the high cost of worker's compensation insurance associated with such work. Various factors contribute to the high cost of worker's compensation insurance for roofers. As one example, manually removing shingles from roofs commonly leads to certain injuries, such as back injuries. In particular, repeatedly bending over and/or prying shingles loose with shovels can lead to painful and expensive back injuries.
Certain tools are available for assisting removal of shingles from a roof. However, such tools are generally not available for sale commercially and suffer from various limitations and drawbacks. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,401,861 provides an apparatus 1 for removing surface coverings. Apparatus 1 includes an air cylinder 30 that is operable to pivot a blade 70. During operation of apparatus 1, debris removed by blade 70 can impact and damage cylinder 30. Similarly, cylinder 30 is exposed to dirt, dust, and other material that can negatively affect operation of cylinder 30. Cylinder 30 can also be damaged during transportation or storage of apparatus 1. For example, tools, such as apparatus 1, are commonly stored in a truck bed with other tools. Such storage conditions can damage cylinder 30, e.g., due to contact with other tools or materials.
As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,906,145 provides a pneumatically powered shovel 10 for removing shingles. Shovel 10 includes an air hammer 70 that moves a shovel blade 20 of shovel 10 rapidly in a reciprocating motion like a chisel. During operation of shovel 10, air hammer 70 can require an inconveniently large air compressor to operate continuously or even often. Generally, a small, portable air compressor cannot provide sufficient air to operate air hammer 70 continuously or even often. Further, removing nails and other fasteners from a roof can be difficult due to the reciprocating action of shovel blade 20. Such reciprocating action can damage underlying plywood or shear nails and other fasteners secured within the plywood. In addition, the reciprocating action of shovel blade 20 can jar or shake a user of shovel 10 such that it can be difficult for the user to operate shovel 10 for extended periods of time.
As yet another example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,222,556 provides a shingle removing machine 10 with an engine or motor 28 that drives shingle removal blades 48a and 48b. The machine 10 is large, heavy, and cumbersome. Thus, lifting the machine 10 onto a roof can be difficult, and operating machine 10 on smaller roofs can be difficult as well. In addition, machine 10 is complex and includes many moving parts. Replacing such components can be difficult.